Dylan Dilinjah is prepping his comeback. After being portrayed as the erratic group member of Da Band, Dylan is still making music and moves without Puff Daddy and the rest of the crew.
Da Band went their separate ways after season three of MTV’s “Making the Band” reality series ended. Since then, Dylan has released numerous mixtapes, such as Reborn and Let The Music Talk. Recently, he signed on to Akon’s Kon Live/En-Treeg Records and plans to release his debut album Pain 2 Power, under the imprint.
WatchLoud recently spoke to the Grenadian rapper about his recent resurgence and a few memories he hasn’t forgot from working with Puff Daddy and Da Band.
Back in 2003 – during Da Band’s recording process – Dylan recalls being fond of Kanye West’s production skills.
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“I told Kanye in ’03 that I wanted him to produce for Da Band,” Dylan says. “At that time, he had “Through The Wire,” he had just started and The Blueprint album from Jay Z was bumping all over the place. I already knew his work as a producer. So I told him I wanted him to produce the whole thing and he was like ‘Yo, not a problem. Here’s my number, take it down.’ I went back to Da Band and the office and they laughed at me. They were like ‘Who? Kanye West?’ They shut me down. They were like ‘No, we’re not going to do that. We’re going to keep it in-house. He’s really a nobody. He’s on the come-up, just another producer.’ I was like ‘No, he’s great. He’s going to be the biggest thing in the world.’ Now look.”
Dylan’s missed opportunity hasn’t derailed his dream of being the “first Caribbean artist to work with Kanye.”
“I want to be the first Caribbean artist to work with Kanye. I know he’s worked with Caribbean artists before like Rihanna, but not an actual Caribbean record or someone who’s so close to the roots of the culture. I don’t think he’s worked with anyone like that. So I want to be the first one to work with Kanye on that. Hopefully that happens.”
Dylan also remembers praising Will.i.am during a session with Da Band. Puffy recommended the group: (Sara Stokes, Freddy P, Chopper Young City, Babs, E. Ness, Dylan) work with the Black Eyed Peas frontman- producer, but the crew had other ideas.
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“I remember during “Making Of Da Band” sitting with Will.i.am and he was supposed to work with us,” Dylan recalls. “Puffy told Will.i.am to sit down with us and nobody liked his vibe. I remember it at the end of the night it was just me and Will.i.am and he felt some way because no one wanted to fuck with him. And Puffy was just like ‘Yo, stop making spaced out music’ or some shit (laughs) and I was like ‘Yo, he’s going to be the biggest thing ever.’ Then Will.i.am became a great producer. The people that everyone shitted on, I always see ahead like “they’re going to be amazing” and now it’s like it would be nice to link with those people now.”
